Vocational Curriculum: Job Readiness Curriculum ProposalSpecial Education Department Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) specifies thirteen categories of disability, and students with these disabilities are eligible for special education services:
Specific learning disabilities (LD)
Orthopedic impairments
Speech/language impairments
Other health impairments (OHI)
Intellectual disability
Autism
Emotional disturbance (ED)
Traumatic brain injury
Deaf/blindness (students who are both deaf and blind)
Multiple disabilities (students with more than one disability)
Visual impairments
Developmental delays
Hearing impairments
(Friend, 2011).
Based on IDEA and No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), all students with and without disabilities should receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in least restrictive environment (LRE).
Rationale for its development and implementation: Most students with disabilities experience difficulties in social, emotional, and behavioral development. Students tend to have lower self-esteem, lack of motivation to work or learn, easily rejected by peers, and have difficulty collaborating with others.
Special education provides related services (transportation, developmental, and overall supportive services) as well as supplementary aids in regular classes and/or other educational settings to enable students with disabilities to be educated with students without disabilities (Friend, 2011).
The economic goals of education is that preparing students to be efficient workers with equality of opportunities (Spring, 2010). When a student with disability becomes sixteen years old, the school's individualized education program (IEP) team must address transition services for training, education, employment, and other relevant areas (Friends, 2011). The transition services include, but are not limited to, career development such as a vocational preparation program, life skill training (e.g., keeping a budget and writing checks, experience in a working environment, etc), and other services.
It is estimated that several million individuals with learning disabilities are denied employment in the United States. These individuals, often times, are capable of learning to live and work in their community. "Large numbers of students with disabilities, both the high school graduates and the dropouts, earn very low salaries" (Edgar, 1988) if they are able to find a job at all. "However, without instruction they often fail to hold their jobs. A life skills curriculum approach blends academic, daily living, personal/social, and occupational skills into integrated lessons designed to help students learn to function independently in society" (Goodship, 1990).
The life skill classroom operates from a “do no harm” philosophy that encourages skills development, personal advancement, and peer education. Aside from life skills, job readiness is important in assisting students with disabilities to become acquainted with the world of work. Currently, much more interest are placed with inclusion and co-teaching classrooms in special education. However, general education classrooms are lacking the appropriate instructions for students with disabilities to gain personal attention with occupational skills. As a group, we wanted to shine some light on this area and focus on the various aspects that go on in vocational training. We will incorporate many strategies and models to assist our students in setting goals, looking for a job, first impression, job confidence, and juggling work and personal life.
Aims, Goals, and Objectives: Every year, IEP team review and update Individualized education program (IEP). The IEP summarize all the information about the student, and develop individualized goals, expectations, and objectives for next year, and amounts of special education services for student with disability.
Annual Goal: The student will demonstrate 90% of assigned job skills in five different positions throughout the school year.
Aim: Career and Life planning Goals: The student will develop self-knowledge skills. Objectives:The student will
understand personal values, traits, strengths and weaknesses, and personal interests.
explore different career options and implement educational, career, and life plans.
apply basic plans of academic strengths towards career interest using prior knowledge skills in reading and math.
create job applications.
Social enhancement:
Develop decision making process based on job interest and goals.
Identify strengths and areas that need attentions.
Aim: To teach students locating and using labor market information.(Skills for Life and work)
Goals: The student will understand to locate and use labor market information using various sources.
Objectives: The student will
identify job skills requirement using prior knowledge skills in reading.
apply managing resources, interpersonal skills, thinking and reasoning skills in decision making.
determine payment using basic computation to include addition and subtraction with 2-3 digit problems using prior knowledge in basic math skills in problem solving.
Social enhancement:
Personal profile: career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values.
On job training that develop essential skills and knowledge for a selected career area.
Skills need to prepare for seek, obtain, maintain, advance in, and change jobs.
Demonstrate appropriate personal hygiene and other health and safety abilities.
Perception of self and others (e.g., various styles of dress).
Aim: Structure of organizations and work and leadership skills. Goal:The student will develop required job skills to engage in job site. Objectives: The student will
identify and understand responsibilities in job.
understand the time management and organization necessary to be succeed in job.
demonstrate the ability to collaborate with others.
apply reading process strategies such as main events, sequence of events, and context clues to increase memory skills and comprehension using prior knowledge.
Social enhancement:
Chain of command
Daily organizational strategies.
Conflict resolution choices.
Decision making.
Background Information The curriculum utilize a proactive, direct approach to introduce and advance knowledge in the high school vocational preparation class. In developing a curriculum proposal for the classroom under the special education umbrella, the group took into account unique and basic needs of our students with disabilities. While developing the curriculum, the following influences were considered:
Emotional Needs: The ability to express feelings in the form of speech, facial expression, gestures, and other means of communication. Some students do not have the full range of communication transmission in order to fully express what they are feeling and/or thinking so special signs and expressions are learned in order to communicate effectively.
Physical Needs: Assistance with fine motor skills, operating machinery or basic apparatuses, toilet support, meal assistance, and physical mobility.
Cognitiveneeds: Developing thinking and reasoning processes. Using judgement skills in making decisions. Critical thinking skills.
Social Skills: Making friends and sustaining friendships, social expressions, asking and answering questions, basic etiquette, manner.
Process of curriculum development:
With the needs and socio/academic levels of the student with disabilities, the curriculum focus in the transition from school to the working environment, and from dependent to independent levels of functioning.
Philosophical/Theoretical Basis for the Curriculum and the Curriculum Model
Perennialism: value of learning is tied to the subject matter. The goal is to ensure that students learn and understand the ideas of Western civilization using problem solving techniques. Focus is to teach everlasting and enduring truths that are consistent
Essentialism:Common core knowledge that may be used to model real world situations. The essentialist wants to center learning and applying basic skills in the real world. This curriculum is more teacher centered than student centered.
Social efficiency: Individual students needs are adapted to the tasks of adult life. The main idea of the philosophy had to do with "identifying and standardizing the action of the most productive workers" (Hlebowitsh, 2005).
Postmodernism: Students are taught to build ones own character. The main idea of this philosophy is to teach emancipated individuals to break out of preconceived misconceptions and develop personal identity.
Type of Instruction:
Direct instruction: Form of lecture and demonstration to assist students accomplish mastery of main ideas, facts, or skills followed by practice and review (Hlebowitsh, 2005).
Independent & Individualized instruction: Most jobs will be completed by students with disabilities without teacher assistant. The instruction would be beneficial in "differentiation related to aptitude, achievement, and interest levels" (Hlebowitsh, 2005).
Experimential: Students are exposed and taught through hands-on activities. Students are learning by focusing on the process of accomplishing a task by experience rather focusing on the end result.
The curriculum model: The c-scope curriculum would implied that developing in daily based and step by step process. However, the curriculum will leave much latitude due to unpredictable student population. The type of instruction is geared towards keeping an eye on the whole class while focusing on the individual needs.
Example of an 'experience' for students in the curriculum Job interest and practical selection process
Personal Interests
You probably have many interests. Some of these could lead to possible jobs. How nice it would be to earn money while doing something that interests you. Employers may ask what things you enjoy doing. They want to know whether you like working with people, facts, or things.
Emily Chang is applying for a job at a pet store. She does not tell the employer she is afraid of large dogs. How long do you think she will last on the job?
Your interests and strengths can and do determine success in a job hunt, getting hired, and then staying on the job. (Kennedy and Loeb, 1998)
Students will complete checklist to identify their interests and where they have the most ability. It will help students to answer the questions that might be asked by employers. A person that has prior knowledge about something can better understand questions or discussion by a potential employer.
Personal Interests
Check each item that applies to you.
I like....
Working with people.
Working alone.
helping others.
working one-on-one.
working with groups.
working with young people.
working with sick or elderly people.
working with animals.
selling goods.
working in the community (neighborhood)
handling money.
cleaning things.
handling food.
Other interests I have
Do your answers tell you about the kind of work you might choose or prefer? (Kennedy and Loeb, 1998)
Job searching processes
Bulletin Boards
Wanted: cleaning. 12-15 hrs. weekly, local restaurant,
age 18 and up. Min. wage. Call Brenda 458-5431.
Answer the following questions to see whether to apply for the job.
Does cleaning fit in with your interests and values?
Do you know the exact hours and days you will be working?
What does the term min.wagemean?
Are there any special clothes you must wear?
Do you know the particular duties of the job?
Are you old enough?
Do you know what kind of restaurant it is?
Would minimum wage for a job with 15 hours a week support you?
How long would you exact to work at the restaurant?
Do you know the location of the restaurant?
(Kennedy and Loeb, 1998) Job related skills
Each student group will go to different job sites. Even though students go different go different job places each days, students will assign same job tasks as same as other job places. such job tasks...
Sorting and pile up merchandises.
Cleaning floor.
Helping register.
Along with specific job tasks, daily tasks would required to perform
clock in and out of the classroom.
wear the job vest.
greeting people.
Link to key content standards TEKS Curriculum Focus:
§130.142. Principles of Education and Training (One-Half to One Credit).
(a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-12.
(b) Introduction.Principles of Education and Training is designed to introduce learners to the various careers available within the education and training career cluster. Students use self-knowledge and educational and career information to analyze various careers within the education and training career cluster. Students will also gain an understanding of the basic knowledge and skills essential to careers within the education and training career cluster. Students will develop a graduation plan that leads to a specific career choice in the student's interest area.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) The student completes career investigations within the education and training career cluster. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe the various careers found within the education and training career cluster; (B) analyze transferable skills among a variety of careers within the education and training career cluster; (C) recognize the impact of career choice on personal lifestyle; and (D) assess the importance of productive work habits and attitudes.
(3) The student explores careers in administration and administrative support. The student is expected to:
(A) summarize the various roles and responsibilities of professionals in the fields of administration and administrative support; (B) describe typical personal characteristics, qualities, and aptitudes of professionals in the fields of administration and administrative support; (C) investigate education and training alternatives after high school for a career choice within the student's interest areas; and (D) formulate education and training degree plans for various occupations within the fields of administration and administrative support.
(7) The student explores options in education and career planning. The student is expected to:
(A) develop a graduation plan that leads to a specific career choice in the area of interest; (B) identify high school and dual enrollment courses related to specific career cluster programs of study; (C) identify and compare technical and community college programs that align with interest areas; and (D) identify and compare university programs and institutions that align with interest areas.
References
Friend, M. (2011). Special education: Contemporary perspectives for school professionals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Horn, E., & Kang, J. (2012). Supporting young children with multiple disabilities: What do we know and what do we still need to learn.
Kennedy, Z., & Loeb, B. (1998). Employability skills book 1: Making career decisions. Austin, TX: Steck-Vaughn company.
Kennedy, Z., & Loeb, B. (1998). Employability skills book 2: Locating and using labor market information. Austin, TX: Steck-Vaughn company.
Spring, J. (2010). American education. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Company.
Horn, Eva; Kang, Jean. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education (Feb 2012): 241-248.
Norton, M Scott; Kelly, Larry K; Battle, Anna R. Eye on Education; 144pp. 2012 (2012): 144.
Sheppard, Loretta; Unsworth, Carolyn. Remedial and Special Education (Sep 2011): 393-405.
Autonomous functioning, an essential characteristic of self-determined people, has been categorized behaviorally according to everyday activities in Self & Family Care (SFC), Life Management (LM), Recreation/Leisure (RL), and Social/Vocational (SV) skills.
Life Skills Mastery for Students with Special Needs. ERIC Digest #E469. Goodship, Joan M. , 1990.
Edgar, G. (1990). Quality of life: Is it time to change our view of the world? BEYOND BEHAVIOR, 1(1), 9-13.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) specifies thirteen categories of disability, and students with these disabilities are eligible for special education services:
- Specific learning disabilities (LD)
- Orthopedic impairments
- Speech/language impairments
- Other health impairments (OHI)
- Intellectual disability
- Autism
- Emotional disturbance (ED)
- Traumatic brain injury
- Deaf/blindness (students who are both deaf and blind)
- Multiple disabilities (students with more than one disability)
- Visual impairments
- Developmental delays
- Hearing impairments
(Friend, 2011).Based on IDEA and No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), all students with and without disabilities should receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in least restrictive environment (LRE).
Rationale for its development and implementation:
Special education provides related services (transportation, developmental, and overall supportive services) as well as supplementary aids in regular classes and/or other educational settings to enable students with disabilities to be educated with students without disabilities (Friend, 2011).
The economic goals of education is that preparing students to be efficient workers with equality of opportunities (Spring, 2010). When a student with disability becomes sixteen years old, the school's individualized education program (IEP) team must address transition services for training, education, employment, and other relevant areas (Friends, 2011). The transition services include, but are not limited to, career development such as a vocational preparation program, life skill training (e.g., keeping a budget and writing checks, experience in a working environment, etc), and other services.
It is estimated that several million individuals with learning disabilities are denied employment in the United States. These individuals, often times, are capable of learning to live and work in their community. "Large numbers of students with disabilities, both the high school graduates and the dropouts, earn very low salaries" (Edgar, 1988) if they are able to find a job at all. "However, without instruction they often fail to hold their jobs. A life skills curriculum approach blends academic, daily living, personal/social, and occupational skills into integrated lessons designed to help students learn to function independently in society" (Goodship, 1990).
The life skill classroom operates from a “do no harm” philosophy that encourages skills development, personal advancement, and peer education. Aside from life skills, job readiness is important in assisting students with disabilities to become acquainted with the world of work. Currently, much more interest are placed with inclusion and co-teaching classrooms in special education. However, general education classrooms are lacking the appropriate instructions for students with disabilities to gain personal attention with occupational skills. As a group, we wanted to shine some light on this area and focus on the various aspects that go on in vocational training. We will incorporate many strategies and models to assist our students in setting goals, looking for a job, first impression, job confidence, and juggling work and personal life.
Aims, Goals, and Objectives:
Every year, IEP team review and update Individualized education program (IEP). The IEP summarize all the information about the student, and develop individualized goals, expectations, and objectives for next year, and amounts of special education services for student with disability.
Annual Goal: The student will demonstrate 90% of assigned job skills in five different positions throughout the school year.
Aim: Career and Life planning
Goals: The student will develop self-knowledge skills.
Objectives:The student will
- understand personal values, traits, strengths and weaknesses, and personal interests.
- explore different career options and implement educational, career, and life plans.
- apply basic plans of academic strengths towards career interest using prior knowledge skills in reading and math.
- create job applications.
Social enhancement:Aim: To teach students locating and using labor market information.(Skills for Life and work)
Goals: The student will understand to locate and use labor market information using various sources.
Objectives: The student will
Social enhancement:
Goal:The student will develop required job skills to engage in job site.
Objectives: The student will
- identify and understand responsibilities in job.
- understand the time management and organization necessary to be succeed in job.
- demonstrate the ability to collaborate with others.
- apply reading process strategies such as main events, sequence of events, and context clues to increase memory skills and comprehension using prior knowledge.
Social enhancement:Background Information
The curriculum utilize a proactive, direct approach to introduce and advance knowledge in the high school vocational preparation class. In developing a curriculum proposal for the classroom under the special education umbrella, the group took into account unique and basic needs of our students with disabilities. While developing the curriculum, the following influences were considered:
Process of curriculum development:
With the needs and socio/academic levels of the student with disabilities, the curriculum focus in the transition from school to the working environment, and from dependent to independent levels of functioning.Philosophical/Theoretical Basis for the Curriculum and the Curriculum Model
Type of Instruction:
The curriculum model:
The c-scope curriculum would implied that developing in daily based and step by step process. However, the curriculum will leave much latitude due to unpredictable student population. The type of instruction is geared towards keeping an eye on the whole class while focusing on the individual needs.
Example of an 'experience' for students in the curriculum
Job interest and practical selection process
You probably have many interests. Some of these could lead to possible jobs. How nice it would be to earn money while doing something that interests you. Employers may ask what things you enjoy doing. They want to know whether you like working with people, facts, or things.
Your interests and strengths can and do determine success in a job hunt, getting hired, and then staying on the job.
(Kennedy and Loeb, 1998)
Check each item that applies to you.
I like....
- Working with people.
- Working alone.
- helping others.
- working one-on-one.
- working with groups.
- working with young people.
- working with sick or elderly people.
- working with animals.
- selling goods.
- working in the community (neighborhood)
- handling money.
- cleaning things.
- handling food.
Other interests I haveDo your answers tell you about the kind of work you might choose or prefer?
(Kennedy and Loeb, 1998)
Wanted: cleaning. 12-15 hrs. weekly, local restaurant,
age 18 and up. Min. wage. Call Brenda 458-5431.
- Does cleaning fit in with your interests and values?
- Do you know the exact hours and days you will be working?
- What does the term min.wagemean?
- Are there any special clothes you must wear?
- Do you know the particular duties of the job?
- Are you old enough?
- Do you know what kind of restaurant it is?
- Would minimum wage for a job with 15 hours a week support you?
- How long would you exact to work at the restaurant?
- Do you know the location of the restaurant?
(Kennedy and Loeb, 1998)Job related skills
- clock in and out of the classroom.
- wear the job vest.
- greeting people.
Link to key content standardsTEKS Curriculum Focus:
§130.142. Principles of Education and Training (One-Half to One Credit).
(a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-12.
(b) Introduction.Principles of Education and Training is designed to introduce learners to the various careers available within the education and training career cluster. Students use self-knowledge and educational and career information to analyze various careers within the education and training career cluster. Students will also gain an understanding of the basic knowledge and skills essential to careers within the education and training career cluster. Students will develop a graduation plan that leads to a specific career choice in the student's interest area.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) The student completes career investigations within the education and training career cluster. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe the various careers found within the education and training career cluster;
(B) analyze transferable skills among a variety of careers within the education and training career cluster;
(C) recognize the impact of career choice on personal lifestyle; and
(D) assess the importance of productive work habits and attitudes.
(3) The student explores careers in administration and administrative support. The student is expected to:
(A) summarize the various roles and responsibilities of professionals in the fields of administration and administrative support;
(B) describe typical personal characteristics, qualities, and aptitudes of professionals in the fields of administration and administrative support;
(C) investigate education and training alternatives after high school for a career choice within the student's interest areas; and
(D) formulate education and training degree plans for various occupations within the fields of administration and administrative support.
(7) The student explores options in education and career planning. The student is expected to:
(A) develop a graduation plan that leads to a specific career choice in the area of interest;
(B) identify high school and dual enrollment courses related to specific career cluster programs of study;
(C) identify and compare technical and community college programs that align with interest areas; and
(D) identify and compare university programs and institutions that align with interest areas.
References